SDSU's Silent Dance Party

Published May 12, 2010 at 1:54 PM | Updated at 7:25 PM PDT on May 12, 2010

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Students armed with headphones danced the 11 o'clock hour away at San Diego State on Wednesday.

A small group of students inspired by the UC Berkeley student group elecTONIC gathered for a unique type of party. The event, dubbed the Silent Dance Party, invited students to download a uniform playlist of songs, don some headphones and dance to music.

“I know it sounds kind of silly, but that’s pretty much the whole deal," event organizer and SDSU student Trevor Brannen said. "Everybody downloads a set mix, puts it on their iPod, [and] we all play it at the same time, so it’s like you’re at a big dance, only it’s all in your head so we don’t get in trouble for amplified sound."

The group waited until 11 a.m to begin. When the hour came, the students did a count down, pressed play on their iPods, let out a collective cheer and began to dance. Onlookers watched as the students shuffled, jumped and fist pumped.

"It was cool because I just know they’re all listening to the same music, too," SDSU student Desiree Cuizon said. "We're all just grooving out."

Though the gathering was small -- about 10 students in all -- Brannen is optimistic about future gatherings.

"It’s all trial and error," Brannen said. "We’re going to have another one, hopefully pretty soon."

The idea of the silent dance party has been around since the 1990s, when it began as a way for eco-activists to attract people to one place. Since then, the party has taken on a new life, transforming with technology and changing with the times. Silent Dance Parties have taken place all across the world, including in Australia, India and London.